Eat
M
ing's is exactly the
type of neighbor-
hood place Seattle loves:
a place to get an unusual
microbrew (like a Float-
ing Bridge Tropical Pale
Ale) or a craft cocktail along
with classic pub food. Start with
small plates (like Brussels Sprouts
with honey Sriracha, cumin, and cilantro),
then move onto a burger, classic sand-
wich, salad (like the Red & Gold with mixed
greens, red and gold beets, bluebird farms
farro, pumpkins seeds, and goat cheese) or
an entrée (like beer battered fish & chips,
seafood fettucine, or mac and cheese.)
Open every day; brunch on weekends only.
For cuisine with heat and Southwest fla-
vors, stop by the original Cactus restaurant.
The Madison Park location has been shak-
ing margaritas, grilling jalapenos, and stuff-
ing enchiladas since 1990.
The menu nods to Santa
Fe with stacked enchila-
das (butternut squash,
green, seafood, chimayo,
and more) and green chile
soup with Hatch green chile
(of course), tomatoes, butter-
milk crema, and cilantro. Tex-
Mex queso, chicken flautas, tacos,
and nachos cover the rest of the Southwest
flavor bases. Private dining and catering
also available; open seven days a week.
French food isn't a Seattle specialty, but
Belle Epicurean is trying to change that.
Chefs Carolyn and Howard Ferguson both
studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and
strive to bring French sensibilities to life
here. Come for the bakery or the café and
you'll be tempted by pain au chocolat,
almond twice-baked croissants, breakfast
sandwiches and quiches, and even feuil-
lettes with ham and gruyere or Walla Walla
onion and bacon. The short
lunch menu includes croques
madame or monsieur, ba-
guette sandwiches, soup, and
salads. Grab a baguette baked
fresh every day and some
macarons for a picnic down by
the lake. Open seven days a
week until 6 pm.
